Injuries Result from White House's File Photo Fly-by

Americans are still reeling from the stupidity of yesterday’s buzzing of lower Manhattan by the White House for its file photo update. The reaction is one of outrage and fury at the White House’s insensitivity to those living in post 9/11 New York City. Peruse the Wall Street Journal’s comment section at “Did You See the Low-Flying Jet Over Lower Manhattan” and you’ll read comment after comment from people who were outraged at the fear and panic that the fly-by created. Sprinkled in the over 500 comments were reports of physical injuries as well:

Heart Attack Guy:

I was working in the building next to the Goldman Sachs building when the plane flew over. From the window it looked like it was going to crash into one of the top floors. Everyone ran down the stairs as fast as they could. I had a heart attack 7yo ago and wound up having a angina attack from running down 14 flights of stairs. The nurse in our building told me they had to send a pregnant woman to the hospital. Quite a few people went home. You also could not use your cell phone which added to the apprehension. I have to say I was also downtown during 9/11 and I really did not appreciate todays “photo op”. A really poor lapse in judement by our government. I think Obama and Bloomberg should be on tv tonight apologizing to the people of NYC. Just my 2 cents.

Anonymous:

These guys are total idiots. My GF works in Plaza 6 and she told me that one of the women in her building was so scared that she tried to come down the stairs and toppled. There was blood in the stairs. Who is accountable?

Angry in JC:

Thanks FAA and DOD for the general panic and for aggrevating my heart condition – not like I have enough stress in this economy.

Yesterday’s fly-by for a photo-op that was not necessary by any means not only terrified New Yorkers but it may have injured some of them, too. According to this report from WSAV, ambulances were called in:

Office worker Keith Mercantine said “completely asinine. After September 11th to do that, I saw ambulances out here with pregnant women. I saw people over there going into ambulances.”

Medics treated at least two people for injuries from falling and no one could understand why no one was notified, other than calls to police that had to remain classified.